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World's largest vintage car fair takes place on 21-25 March
Volkswagen showcases its exclusive Karmann prototypes
World premiere: Volkswagen Type 3 convertible from 1961 is presented for the first time after complete restoration

Lovers of historic Volkswagen models should set aside some time from 21-25 March 2018. At Techno Classica in Essen, the world's largest vintage car fair, Volkswagen will present fascinating exhibits spanning three decades, including two exclusive convertible prototypes from the Karmann collection in Osnabrück.

Premiere after complete restoration: the Volkswagen Type 3 convertible

This true classic car from Karmann is sure to capture the imagination and is truly exclusive. At the Volkswagen stand at Techno Classica, visitors can marvel at the rare Type 3 convertible which never went into series production and which has a total of just 16 handcrafted bodies in existence. The prototype from 1961 displayed at the fair was once the company car of Johannes Beeskow, technical manager of Karmann's operations at that time. From a technical perspective, the study is based on the Volkswagen 1500 mode, the medium class (Type 3) which was launched in 1961. The designers were particularly proud of the large panoramic rear window and the fully retractable top, which gave the vehicle a certain elegance when opened. In 1965, the convertible was transferred to the Karmann collection in Osnabrück. A complete restoration was carried out on the vehicle from 2015 to 2017 and it is now presented to the public for the first time in practically new-car condition.

Sheer elegance for two plus two: the Karmann Ghia Type 34 convertible

Another fascinating exhibit which visitors to this year's Techno Classica can look forward to is the Karmann Ghia 1600 Type 34 convertible. The open 2+2 seater was presented for the first time at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt in 1961, in parallel with the Volkswagen Type 3. Like the Type 3 convertible, the open version of the ‘large Karmann Ghia' is a prototype, of which there are just a dozen in existence. The top can be fully retracted also in this vehicle, preserving its timeless, elegant design. The model showcased at the fair was rebuilt in 1968. Various components were used, such as an original body from 1961 and a chassis from 1968.

Cabriolet expertise from Osnabrück: a long success story

Both exhibits come from Osnabrück, a town in Lower Saxony which boasts a long, successful history in convertible production. The first-generation Beetle convertible came off the conveyor belts of the Karmann plant in 1949. The popular and elegantly styled Karmann Ghia Type 14 convertible (1957 to 1974) as well as all Golf convertible generations also came from Osnabrück. And the success story goes on: from 2020, Volkswagen Osnabrück will produce the first SUV convertible in the company's history – the T-Roc convertible.

World's largest vintage car fair draws visitors from all over the world

Techno Classica is the world's leading fair for historic cars and motorbikes and trade relating to replacement parts and restoration. It features 120,000 m² of exhibition space spread across 21 halls and four open areas. There are also over 200 different clubs and interest groups. In 2017, the organisers recorded around 185,000 visitors from 41 countries. In addition to the two convertible prototypes, all those interested can look forward to a whole host of other exciting exhibits at the Volkswagen stand.

Article source: www.volkswagen-media-services.com

With the new I.D. VIZZION1, the Volkswagen brand has today given a glimpse of the individual mobility of the future on the evening before the Geneva International Motor Show. The full electric sedan will be the future top model of the I.D. family and will reach the roads by 2022 at the latest. In addition, it is prepared for fully autonomous driving. The I.D. VIZZION is part of Volkswagen’s major product and technology offensive. By 2025, the brand intends to sell at least 1 million electric cars per year and to become the market leader in e-mobility

Dr. Herbert Diess, CEO of the Volkswagen brand said: “The I.D. VIZZION shows what our brand is capable of in terms of technology, design and quality. It is the most personal, most emotional and most individual Volkswagen of all times. And it also shows that, even in the electric, self-driving future, we will be using desirable, expressive and individual automobiles – and not just uniform tin boxes.

The I.D. VIZZION is based on the newly developed modular electrification toolkit (MEB) and underscores the technological performance capabilities of this architecture. From the outside, it is as large as a Passat, but it offers as much space in the interior as a Phaeton. The interior has the shape and materials of a lounge. In addition, the radical simplification of operation makes for effortless mobility. Passengers can opt for entertainment, information, relaxation or work, in line with their personal wishes. The pure electric range of the model is up to 650 kilometers.

“The I.D. VIZZION is our very realistic vision for a Volkswagen of the future. And we will be offering this model – by the latest in 2022 as the top sedan in the I.D. family with the innovative I.D. cockpit and a steering wheel. The model will be prepared for fully autonomous driving. Step-by-step, it will relieve the driver of tasks – if the driver so wishes. With the I.D. VIZZION we are underlining Volkswagen’s claim: we want to be among the leaders in shaping the individual mobility of the future.

No other brand is tackling e-mobility as uncompromisingly as Volkswagen. With the MEB, Volkswagen has developed a powerful tool that covers the entire range of individual mobility. From compact cars to SUVs and large luxury limousines, everything is possible. By 2025, the Volkswagen Group will start production of more than 15 full electric models on the basis of the MEB. The first models are to be launched in 2020.

1This vehicle is not yet offered for sale and is therefore not subject to Directive 1999/94/EC.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

SUV cabriolet to be produced at Osnabrück from 2020
Volkswagen to invest €80 million in production
Cabriolet success story at Osnabrück is continued
New model safeguards capacity utilization and employment

Green light for a new cabriolet based on the T-Roc: within the framework of its major model offensive, the Volkswagen brand is launching its first convertible SUV. The new model is to be produced from the first half of 2020. At its meeting held today, the Volkswagen Group Supervisory Board confirmed the investment of more than €80 million in the Osnabrück plant which is required for this purpose. With this decision, the brand will be continuing the cabriolet success story of the Osnabrück team and safeguarding employment at the plant.

Dr. Herbert Diess, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, says: "Volkswagen is evolving into an SUV brand. The T-Roc is already setting new standards in the compact SUV segment. With the cabriolet based on the T-Roc, we will be adding a highly emotional model to the range. I am especially pleased to note that we can count on the Osnabrück team's decades of experience with convertibles. The Osnabrück plant now has bright prospects for the future."

SUVs are currently making a key contribution to the growth of the Volkswagen Group's core brand. With 720,000 Tiguan vehicles delivered, this car is among the 10 best-selling models in the world and the top three SUV's. By 2020, the brand intends to expand its SUV range throughout the world to 20 models. By then, about 40 percent of the vehicles sold by Volkswagen are to be SUV's. With the new cabriolet based on the T-Roc, Volkswagen will further reinforce its presence in the compact SUV segment, one of the fastest-growing segments in global automobile markets.

The investment of more than €80 million in the production of the new cabriolet will allow the comprehensive modernization of production technology, assembly and logistics at the Osnabrück plant. Following the run-up phase, a production volume of up to 20,000 vehicles per year is planned.

With the new cabriolet based on the T-Roc, Volkswagen is bringing this body style into the currently particularly strong growing SUV segment. This model continues Volkswagen's cabriolet tradition, which dates back almost 70 years. The original version of the T-Roc was successfully launched on European markets at the end of 2017. To date, more than 40,000 orders have been taken for the model.

Volkswagen Osnabrück GmbH currently has about 2,300 employees. In 2017, the plant assembled more than 76,000 units on three production lines. Currently, Volkswagen Osnabrück assembles the Volkswagen Tiguan and the Porsche Cayman. In addition, the plant is responsible for part of the painting work needed for the ŠKODA Fabia. Since Volkswagen Osnabrück GmbH was founded in 2011, more than 280,000 vehicles have rolled off the assembly lines.

Article source: www.volkswagen-media-services.com

Groundbreaking: the I.D. VIZZION concept car is a saloon for the era of electric and autonomous mobility
Revolutionary: the fully-autonomous I.D. VIZZION can be controlled effortlessly via augmented reality, gestures and voice commands
The I.D. VIZZION is coming: the car will be available in 2022, initially launching with conventional controls as the top model in the I.D. Family

In a world premiere event at the Geneva Motor Show (6 to 18 March) Volkswagen is presenting the I.D. VIZZION¹ concept car – the new flagship of the electric I.D. Family. With the I.D. VIZZION, Volkswagen defines the saloon of tomorrow and beyond: autonomous driving, effortless control via augmented reality, and adaptive learning thanks to artificial intelligence. The I.D. VIZZION thus achieves a new dimension of comfort, convenience, safety, and sustainability.

Dr Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management: "Upon first glance, the I.D. VIZZION demonstrates how the All-New Electric Architecture gives us a completely new type of freedom in designing the vehicle interior and exterior." Indeed, this concept car transfers the charismatic design DNA of the innovative I.D. models into the world of large saloon cars. In the process, the lounge-like interior was redefined as well. Thanks to its new vehicle architecture, the car offers its passengers a level of spaciousness beyond that of typical premium-class vehicles in the five-metre category. This particular feeling of spaciousness is part of the vehicle's unique comfort experience.

Operating the I.D. VIZZION is fully effortless thanks to intuitive interactions between human and machine using augmented reality, mixed-reality eyewear (HoloLens), and voice control functionality. Augmented reality entails the use of virtual control elements and displays which are projected inside the car. Passengers view these features with their HoloLens and operate them using gesture control. The car's communications technology has advanced to make it a virtual assistant which is capable of learning and responds empathically. The I.D. VIZZION offers one thing above all: greater personal space. That is because it is a smart device on wheels that does not require a driver and thereby becomes a chauffeur. Because it is so comprehensively connected that it is part of the digital world. Because it gives its passengers space to relax, communicate, or work while on the road.

The I.D. VIZZION demonstrates how Volkswagen is introducing new innovations year after year on its path to the future and is making driving more exciting than ever: while user operation via augmented reality gives an outlook on the year 2030, automated driving at the highest level is already conceivable starting in 2025. Yet the design of the I.D. VIZZION, the electric all-wheel drive system with two electric motors and 225 kW system output, and its operating range of up to 665 kilometres point towards the year 2022. This is the year when the initial version of the I.D. VIZZION with conventional controls will be launched.

With the I.D. VIZZION, Volkswagen is also demonstrating the excellent overall potential of the newly developed technological basis for the I.D. Family – the All-New Electric Architecture. Dr Frank Welsch, Board Member of the Volkswagen Brand, Technical Development Division: "The technological design principle of our I.D. Family is hard to deny: its dimensions, battery, and drive system are scalable. This allows us to occupy multiple segments and meet customer demands - up to and including a large touring saloon."

Taken in total, the I.D. Family represents the advent of the electric mobility age for the Volkswagen brand. Dr Diess: "We plan to build around one million all-electric vehicles per year already by 2025. The compact I.D.¹ and the I.D.CROZZ¹ SUV will make their debut in 2020. They will be followed in 2022 by the I.D. BUZZ¹ large capacity passenger vehicle, as well as the I.D. VIZZION already mentioned which is being presented in Geneva.

Article source: www.volkswagen-media-services.com

•Group-wide roll-out of WLANp standard in volume models from 2019 will soon create a broad-based network of information on local traffic risks

•Active and cooperative safety systems will significantly enhance road safety and improve traffic flow

•Standard equipment on new models without additional cost will lead to the fast and efficient distribution of this technology that can be used jointly

From 2019 onwards, the brands of the Volkswagen Group are to use the WLANp standard, which has already been comprehensively tested, for communications among vehicles and between vehicles and their environment. The introduction of this technology as standard equipment on volume models ranging from compact cars to commercial vehicles will significantly improve safety on the roads of Europe.

Networking among vehicles and between vehicles and their environment, irrespective of manufacturer, will be a key step in reducing road accidents. Within a few milliseconds, traffic-relevant information on the local environment about 500 m around the vehicle will be transmitted both among vehicles and between vehicles and traffic infrastructure.

The principle of platooning, with networked trucks driving in synchronized convoys, is also based on this technology. In addition to improving road safety and traffic flow, the new technology will also reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.

Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, Head of Group Research and Development, says: "All the conditions for the rapid introduction of this technology have been met. With WLANp networking, which has been thoroughly tried and tested and is now ready for use, we will significantly improve road safety throughout Europe. This will take us one step closer to Vision Zero, the vision of accident-free driving."

The area-wide introduction of standardized WLANp , which has already been comprehensively tested, will also provide a reliable system for operators of traffic infrastructure (such as traffic lights), and fleets (emergency service and construction site vehicles). This way, information on traffic flow, accidents, roadworks and other relevant situations and events can be reliably made available in the local area.

Article source: www.volkswagen-media-services.com

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